Just a Little Fun
by scarlet79
Summary: Could be either a stand-alone, or a part 2 to "Work in Progress". Sheppard falls ill, and it's up to his team to find the cause, but they must hurry if he is to survive! May turn into a Sheyla-fic, but not til much later. On hiatus for now!
1. Chapter 1

_AN: So, this *could* be a stand-alone story, OR, it could be a continuation of my other story, "Work In Progress". Either way is fine. But, for those who did read WIP...remember that pesky headache John was experiencing? Well, it just may have been a symptom of something else. Just exactly what that is, you'll have to read and find out!_

_As always, reviews are MUCH appreciated! *Hugz!*_

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><p>Chapter 1<p>

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><p>John Sheppard sat at his favorite table in the mess hall, his hands wrapped around a coffee mug. He stared at the contents of the mug, a black pool that shivered at every slight movement, and it reminded him of the Stargate, only in negative. Though his team had all been cleared for active duty again, they were on stand-down for now, waiting for the next threat to arise.<p>

He hated waiting. It made him feel useless and uneasy.

"May I join you?" He heard a familiar feminine voice say then, and he nodded without looking up. There was a quiet whisper of clothing, a whiff of perfume, and then Teyla's warm presence was directly across from him, instantly driving away his previous dark mood. A few seconds later, he couldn't even remember what he'd been thinking about in the first place. The possessiveness he'd recently been experiencing came back again, making him feel instantly guilty. _Careful, John_, he told himself; _that's a dangerous road you're on there._

"Are you all right?" She asked, and for the first time, he looked up. His eyes met hers, and her gaze was so open, so honest, that he had to look away. He wasn't good with feelings – and she knew that – but here she was, asking him to open up. Sure, she'd only asked if he was "all right", but he could swear there was more to her question. There always was.

Heaving out a sigh, he intentionally pushed at his mug so the liquid inside would swirl around. "Yeah." At her lifted eyebrow, he asked, "Why?"

"You seem…distracted."

Intent on showing her just how un-distracted he was, he leaned back in his chair and loosely folded his arms, giving her his famous grin. "Nah. Just bored, I guess."

Her eyebrow lifted higher. "There are a few activities I could suggest for you." She purposely paused for a moment, causing a slight blush to rise into his cheeks. "Sparring, for example."

Both relieved and disappointed, Sheppard chuckled. "I've been beat up enough for a while. But, thanks for the offer."

Teyla grinned in reply. "Oh, I did not mean with me. I meant with Ronon."

Now, he laughed openly, and Teyla couldn't help but join in. It did her good to see him laugh after their recent ordeal. Things had looked so desperate then, and she had wondered if he would ever return to his former self. Yes, she said to herself, it seemed as if the real John Sheppard was here again.

"You better watch it," he said when he regained his composure. "I could always dump you back on M7G-229 at night, with only a little lap blanket and a cup of coffee." He leaned back in his chair and waited for her reaction. M7G was the planet they'd nearly frozen to death on while searching for the Vanir device, the one that had beamed up Rodney and Ronon and then burned itself out, almost trapping the men inside it. If it hadn't been for Major Lorne and his men, he and Teyla would be human Popsicles right now.

She laughed again. "I would like to see you try it."

"Teyla," he warned her, though there was a mischievous twinkle in his gaze. "I'm serious."

"Of course, _John_," she replied, putting emphasis on using his first name. "And I am also just as serious."

Sheppard seemed to think about something for a moment, then sighed. "Okay. Just remember, you asked for it."

Then, before she could even move, he jumped up from his chair and grabbed Teyla out of hers. Ignoring her high-pitched shriek of surprise, he hoisted her over his shoulder, his strong hands pinning her legs against his chest.

"John!" She shouted over her own laughter. "Put me down!"

"Nope," he replied calmly as he began to walk toward the doors. "I warned you, but you didn't listen."

Though she was almost completely sure he was joking, Teyla began to get just a bit nervous, and slapped him on the back, once. "Put me down right now!"

He was almost to the door when Rodney and Ronon walked in, their faces clearly startled at the scene before them.

"What the hell are you two doing?" Rodney sputtered, his eyes first on Sheppard, then on Teyla, who had to crane her head around Sheppard's elbow to look at him.

"We…um…" Sheppard began, glancing at Ronon for inspiration. He was no help, however, as a big grin was plastered across his tanned face. When Sheppard's gaze swung back to Rodney's disapproving glare, he felt as if he'd been caught with his hand in the cookie jar, and his cheeks burned with sudden guilt. Wordlessly, he allowed Teyla's legs to slide down his chest until her feet touched the floor, then released her from his grasp altogether. Her perfume had rubbed off on his clothes, and now it filled his head so that he could barely breathe.

When she was safely back on her feet, Teyla turned to face Rodney and explained, "We were merely…playing, Rodney. That is all."

"Playing, hm?" Rodney mimicked, and she nodded. "Yes, well, perhaps we could all remain professional around here for once? We _are_ adults, after all."

"Of course," she replied, though she did not appreciate his condescending tone at all. "But every once in a while, it is natural for even _adults_ to have a little fun."

"Don't know the meaning of the word," Rodney retorted. Teyla looked to Sheppard, expecting him to make a witty retort, but he only stood there, his hand absently rubbing the back of his neck. Next, she looked to Ronon, but even he remained silent. _Why were they letting him act this way?_ Her anger growing, she leaned forward until her face was mere inches from Rodney's face.

"I am not surprised," she nearly growled at him. "Now, if you are finished berating us for trying to have some harmless fun, I believe I have things to do."

"Try not to throw yourself across anyone else on the way," he snapped, and this last comment caused Teyla's eyes to fill with hurt tears.

It also seemed to break Sheppard out of wherever his mind had been. His head jerked up to stare at Rodney, and he poked his finger into the scientist's chest. "Hey! Too far, McKay!"

Too upset to stand there any longer, Teyla swiftly brushed past the three men and left the mess hall. Sheppard watched her go, desperate to call her back, but no words would come. He rounded on Rodney, scowling darkly.

"What the hell is your problem, Rodney?" He asked.

"You may not realize this, Sheppard, but some of us around here actually _work_. And some of us are more than a little surprised to see a senior officer cavorting with a woman in the mess hall."

"Cavorting?" Ronon asked quietly. Sheppard took only a moment to eye him before returning his attention to Rodney. He didn't have time to explain that term to his friend right now.

"We were not 'cavorting'. It's like Teyla said. We were bored, so we started joking around. That's all."

Rodney made no reply, instead crossing his arms indignantly.

"And," Sheppard continued, "in case _you_ forgot, you're not the only one who works around here, nor are you the only around here who gets put in danger on a semi-weekly basis. Even if you _were_, it still doesn't give you the right to talk to Teyla that way. Now, take your self-important ass down to wherever she ran off to, and apologize."

Rodney's gaze leveled with his, and his jaw clenched tightly. "No."

Sheppard blinked. "No?"

"No. You may be the military leader here, but I'm not military. I don't have to do _everything_ you say."

"Rodney," Sheppard began, his voice low, almost feral.

"Look, maybe I was a little harsh, but even _you_ have to admit that you both seemed less-than-professional, carrying on like that. You're just lucky it wasn't Colonel Carter that walked in here. She would've had a fit."

Swallowing the argument he knew Rodney was trying to bait him into, Sheppard shook his head and repeated, "Go apologize. Now."

"No."

Sheppard felt his blood boil, heard his pulse rushing in his ears. _How dare he say those things to Teyla – one of the most trustworthy women they'd ever met – and then refuse to take them back? Was he crazy? Was he jealous? _He was startled by that. Where was that coming from? Jealous of whom, and of what? Feeling his control slipping, his hands clenching into fists at his sides, he looked to Ronon for some way to calm down. Seeing that there was none – other than to walk away – John Sheppard did what he had been itching to do since Teyla left.

He punched Rodney McKay in the face.

Blood immediately poured from Rodney's nose, running through the fingers he had clasped over his face and spattering onto the tiled floor at their feet.

"Damn you, Sheppard!" Rodney screeched. "Broke my nose!"

"Maybe next time you'll think before you treat Teyla like that," Sheppard replied, his chest still heaving in anger. His limbs were beginning to feel shaky now that the rush of adrenaline was fading, and he noticed that some of Rodney's blood had somehow got onto his knuckles. When he looked up again, Ronon was staring at him with a mixture of surprise, confusion, and respect. Out of those three, it was the respect that made Sheppard feel the worst. He really hadn't meant to hit Rodney, but he'd been so angry…

Carter had seen the whole thing, having come in a few minutes before Rodney and Ronon had. Now, she stepped forward, a grim look on her face. "Gentlemen! Infirmary, then my office. Now!"

Sheppard let his eyes drift closed for a moment as he realized that he was probably in the most trouble he'd been in since being sent to Antarctica. Not only had he punched the man that he considered his best friend in two galaxies, but he'd done it in front of the Expedition leader. And the entire mess hall, to boot.

Uttering a quick, "Yes, ma'am," he ducked out of the room and stalked down to the infirmary.

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><p>"What on earth has gotten into you?"<p>

Sheppard could only stare at the floor of Carter's office, his hands clasped tightly behind his back. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Rodney standing beside him, his arms folded angrily over his chest. He'd stopped bleeding a while ago, but the bridge of his nose was red, and a little swollen. It made Sheppard feel worse than he did when it had been gushing blood.

Finally, the silence became too much for Sheppard to bear, and he replied, "Honestly, I don't know."

Carter gazed at him, confused. "You don't know?"

He shook his head. "I don't. I'm sorry."

"First," she said, "you throw Teyla over your shoulder and threaten her with 'dumping her on M7G…"

"In all fairness," Sheppard interrupted, "Teyla knew I was kidding. I would never do that to her. Or anyone, for that matter."

Rodney made a noise in his throat, but remained otherwise silent.

"Regardless, the threat – however real or imagined – was overheard by the crew in the mess hall," she replied. Then, she looked over at Rodney. "_You_ then come in and act superior, making rude comments and refusing to apologize."

"I did not, and still do not, think their performance was becoming to members of this expedition," Rodney explained.

"Oh, please," Sheppard interjected. "You just don't like the idea of anyone having fun without you."

Rodney rolled his eyes. "I'm sorry, but I don't find the idea of being thrown over your shoulders and carried off through the halls, fun."

"Thank God for that."

"Stop it!" Carter shouted at them, and John's gaze returned to the carpet beneath his feet. "The point is, Rodney's refusal to attempt to rectify the situation, caused you, Colonel Sheppard, to punch him in the face, nearly breaking his nose."

Sheppard nodded. "Yes. And for that, I _am_ truly sorry."

Rodney made another noise, but Carter ignored him. Instead, she asked, "And you really think that was the best course of action? Either of you?"

"No, ma'am," Sheppard replied sheepishly.

"Of course not," Rodney said, at the same time.

Carter glanced at both men, then rubbed her hand over her face and sighed. "Do either of you even realize what a nightmare this is for me? I don't even know what to do with you right now, and if the IOA hears about this…"

"Look," Sheppard interjected then, and she gazed pointedly at him. "I know this is bad, but we can fix it. On our own."

"You can?"

"Yes, we can," Rodney piped up.

"Well, you'd better. My reports will be finished by eleven-hundred tonight. You have until then. If you can't reach a solution, then the SGC as well as the IOA will find out about today's little…" she searched her already-tired mind for the right word, "…adventure."

Both men stood there, growing ever more uncomfortable in front of her, and she finally added, "You're dismissed."

John was the first to leave, expertly turning on his heel and walking out of the office in one fluid motion. Before he turned the corner, however, he glanced back inside at Rodney, his eyes full of something Carter couldn't read. Rodney could, apparently, because he seemed to crumple inside himself. Then, he took a breath, and also left the office.

When they were both gone, Carter leaned heavily against her desk, forcing herself to relax before the stiffness in her shoulders locked up for good. Sometimes, she didn't feel like so much of an expedition leader as she did a Kindergarten teacher. Right now was one of those times.

She looked at the clock on her desk. Sixteen-hundred-thirty. Six and a half hours left. With a shake of her head, she hoped they would indeed resolve their issues on their own. She really didn't want to deal with the heat she'd get from the SGC, and she really, really didn't want to deal with the IOA.

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><p>Rodney stepped up to the gym doors, heaving in a calming breath. His palms felt slick with sweat, so he wiped them on his pants, and then wiped them again for good measure. For the tenth time in as many minutes, he considered walking back to his lab. <em>Let the IOA find out<em>, he dared himself. _What's the worst that could happen?_ No, he argued back, he had to do this.

Before he could change his mind, he swiped his hand over the door controls, and they immediately parted to show Teyla inside, practicing her fighting moves alone. When she saw Rodney standing there, however, she suddenly stopped. Lowering her bantos staff, she gave him a curt nod and then simply waited there in the middle of the room.

"I…uh," he began, "I wanted to apologize."

She nodded again, but stayed silent. As imperceptive as he could sometimes be, even Rodney could see that she was still very upset. Taking a step further inside the gym, he continued, "I said things I shouldn't have, and I'm sorry."

After a long pause, Teyla moved across the gym and replaced the staff in its holder. Then, she stepped in front of him, her eyes searching for something.

"Are you sorry for what you said, or merely for _how_ you said it?" She asked.

He frowned as he considered her question. "No. No, I'm sorry for what I said. I didn't mean it at all. It's just…" _Just what?_ He asked himself. _Is there really any way to justify the way you acted? The things you said? _ Realizing that there wasn't, he sighed and dropped his gaze to the floor. "I'm just so sorry."

Though she wanted to make him suffer for treating her the way he had, she knew that he was feeling guilty enough as it was. Gently, she placed her hands on his arms and attempted a small smile.

"Rodney, I know that most times, your words and attitudes are overlooked because of your great intellect. But, you must understand that I value you as a close friend, and as such, your words hold great meaning to me. What you said hurt me very much. Colonel Sheppard and I meant nothing by our actions, though I admit that things _did_ get out of hand."

He nodded vigorously. "I know that. And you should know that I…uh…I respect you as a woman, and as a good friend, too."

"Thank you."

"I feel terrible for acting like such an idiot."

She smiled at him again. "Everyone acts in a similar manner now and then. You are not the first, and will not be the last. Even so, you are forgiven."

He heaved out a relieved sigh. "Oh, good. That's…that's good. Thank you, Teyla."

"You are welcome. Now, I believe there is someone else you must apologize to."

Rodney gazed at her, puzzled. "There is?"

"Colonel Sheppard."

"But he hit _me_!" He cried. "Why should I apologize to him?"

Teyla shook her head, astounded that she had to explain this to him. "What you said hurt him as much as it did me. Perhaps more. That is why he hit you."

"But it had nothing to do with him."

"Are you sure of that?"

Rodney thought about it for a moment, but he still didn't see what she meant. When he shook his head, she said, "First, Colonel Sheppard is very protective of the women around him. If one of them is hurt or offended, he takes it personally. Also, he was directly involved in the incident, so it affected him even more."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," he finally admitted. "I mean, I know how he is with the women here, but I never thought…" He rubbed at his thinning hair. "I should go and talk to him."

She patted his arm. "Go and fix things, and I will see you later."

"Okay. And thanks again."

Teyla nodded, and he left the gym feeling both better and worse at the same time.

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><p><em>TBC...<em>


	2. Chapter 2

_AN: Something just occurred to me as I edited this chapter. I wrote that Elizabeth was gone (presumably true to canon), but they are on the same planet they were on before the battle with the Human-form Replicators, as it is inhabited by the whale-fish. Um, I'm gonna say, for sake of sanity and continuity, that you can just pretend that every Water Planet is inhabited by giant whale-fish. Yeah, that works!_

_Also, please don't forget to R&R!  
><em>

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><p>Chapter 2<p>

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><p>John was hiding.<p>

Okay, well, he couldn't admit that to himself, but that was exactly what he was doing. Truthfully, he was still pissed at Rodney for this whole mess; after all, if Rodney hadn't run his big mouth, he wouldn't have had to punch him. Square in the face. Right in front of Carter. _Nice going, John_, he scolded himself, _real smooth move, there_.

He knew he should just apologize, put everything that had happened today behind him, but he couldn't. His pride wouldn't let him, and neither would his rebellious streak. No one could tell him what to do – not his father, not his CO when he'd been in Afghanistan, and not Colonel Carter. It wasn't that he didn't respect her; he really did, almost as much as he had Elizabeth Weir. But when he felt that someone had been wronged, he always had to be the one to fix it, even if it meant going against the "rules".

Or punching his best friend in the nose.

As much as he hated to admit it, Carter was right. If they wanted to keep her here as leader of Atlantis, and keep the IOA from permanently setting up shop in the Pegasus Galaxy, he had to make things okay again.

Sighing, Sheppard got up off his bed and opened the door, just as his intended target came into view in the hallway. He stopped on the threshold, wondering if he should just go back in and close the door. His more humorous side, though buried under tons of guilt, somehow managed to come through and picture Rodney likewise losing his nerve, running away like a girl. He stifled a smile, still too hurt by his friend's actions to try to be funny.

"Oh," Rodney said, mildly startled to see him there, "I was just looking for you."

"Yeah. Me, too."

"Really?"

"Yep."

There was an awkward silence as they both stood there, simply staring at each other. Then, Sheppard ducked back into his room, and returned with two sweatshirts and a six-pack of his favorite beverage – beer.

"Come on," he told Rodney, "let's go to the Pier."

The East Pier was always quiet this time of night; the Daedalus had left earlier in the day, and no one but Sheppard really came out here after dark, anyway. It was his favorite place to go and think, letting the ocean waves wash away his troubles, if only for a while. Now, it smelled of salt and seaweed, but it was neither unpleasant nor overpowering, and the waves rushed toward them in great billows, crashing on the rocks below the pier. He suddenly found himself wishing he had his surfboard; the whitecaps he could see seemed to beckon to him, willing him to go for a ride atop them.

Instead, he flopped down on the surface of the pier, and Rodney silently followed suit, his legs dangling over the edge. He, too, had a healthy respect for the ocean, but in a slightly more negative way. He'd had many bad experiences in that cold water, and his mind continually recalled the hundred-foot whale-fish that hunted the planet's sea. He'd rather not find out the hard way what they ate, thank you very much.

Still, he had to admit that the ocean surrounding Atlantis was a beautiful sight, especially at night. The moon's light glittered over the surface of the water, making it seem like an ocean full of jewels, and when a particularly large wave hit the bottom of the pier, the spray that reached him felt cool and calming.

"You want one?" Rodney heard Sheppard ask, and he looked over to see the colonel holding a beer out to him. Nodding, he took it and popped it open, but didn't take a sip yet.

Sheppard popped open his own can, and took a gulp from it. As he swallowed, he stared over the water, as if he could see the mainland from here. This was it, he knew; one of them would have to say something, but truthfully, he was afraid to be the first. Steeling himself with another swig of his drink, he shifted his position a little, and then said, "Uh, so I've been thinking. I shouldn't have hit you like that. I'm sorry, Rodney."

Rodney turned to look at him. "That's okay, John. I deserved it."

Sheppard shook his head. "No, you didn't. I overreacted. I should've just walked away."

"Maybe, but the things I said were horrible, and untrue. I should have never jumped on you like that."

"Are you gonna let me apologize, or what?" Sheppard asked then, and Rodney held up his hand in apology. "Thank you. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that I shouldn't have done what I did in the first place, messing around with Teyla like that. I just…I was so keyed up, I needed to have a little fun for once – something that didn't involve explosives or high speeds."

Rodney nodded silently at that. He understood how John felt – maybe not in the same way, but still, he knew what it felt like to have a ton of nervous energy, and no way to release it. Most of the time, he could find something to help – a side-project or hobby he'd been meaning to pick up again – but in those odd times when there was nothing to do, he often wondered how he kept himself from climbing the walls.

"You were right, you know," he said quietly.

Sheppard shifted his gaze to look at him out of the corner of his eye. "About what?"

"I _was_ jealous…" Sheppard's blood pressure raised a bit, until Rodney added, "that you guys were having fun without me. I mean, I still don't ever want to be thrown over your shoulder and stuff, but…well, you know what I mean."

Sheppard grinned. "Yeah, I know."

"The point is, you and Teyla and Ronon are the closest thing I have to family beside Jeannie. You guys may not always understand my scientific babblings or whatever, but at least you treat me like a person, like I have feelings. Most people don't; they never have, not even when I was a kid. I've always respected that you don't let me get away with saying or doing something just because I'm a genius, that even though I'm a civilian, you hold me to the same standard as you would any military person under you."

Sheppard nodded at that. "I just need to know that everyone in my team is on the same page, that's all. And to be honest, you're really never that hard for me to handle."

Rodney grinned faintly at him, then turned back to the ocean. He nipped at his beer every few moments, letting the bubbles tickle his nose and throat. Beside him, John was just finishing his off, and had begun to swing his legs back and forth over the pier's edge, imagining that he could actually kick the waves that rolled more than three stories below him.

"You know," Sheppard suddenly said, "right after I hit you, I felt really bad for it. I was too angry to apologize, though. And if I'm really truthful, it wasn't because you said that stuff to Teyla."

Rodney eyed him curiously, then set down his beer and leaned in a little. "What do you mean?"

Sheppard sighed, rubbing a hand through his perpetually-messy hair. "I mean…" he looked up at the moon, not believing he was actually about to admit this to anyone, let alone Rodney. "I was mad because you caught me flirting with her."

Rodney's blue eyes widened into saucers. He let his mind flow over what his friend had just said, and when he was sure he'd heard correctly, he murmured, "I knew it."

"What? No, Rodney…" John began, but Rodney paid him no attention.

"All this time, all these years, I knew you had a thing for her, but you were too afraid or whatever to act on it!"

Sheppard grabbed Rodney by his sweatshirt and pulled him close. "You wanna quiet down, before the entire city hears you?" When his friend had nodded and calmed down enough, he explained, "It wasn't that I was afraid. I just didn't think she ever felt the same way I did. The way I still do. Plus, our alliance with her people was too important to screw up, and…well, I got comfortable with our relationship the way it was. Is. Whatever!"

He threw up his hands, frustrated with his inability to accurately explain his feelings, and then distracted himself by opening another beer. Rodney sat there, his mind suddenly a jumble of thoughts and feelings. He'd never seen John Sheppard look so helpless, at least not when it came to talking about women, and it startled him. He knew that after Nancy, John had never even tried to settle down with a single woman, but now he wondered if that was another thing John was afraid of – of failing at having another "stable" relationship.

"Why don't you just talk to her, then?" Rodney asked.

"I just told you why. If she doesn't feel the same…"

Rodney shook his head. "No. That's an excuse, and you know it. Teyla's enough of a…lady…to tell you exactly how she feels without making you feel like even more of an idiot. It's not like she's gonna laugh at you or something. She's not like that."

"But…" Sheppard began, but Rodney cut him off with a wave of his hand.

"Look, John, I know you really suck at feelings, but if you really love her –"

"I never said I loved her."

Rodney ignored him. " – then you need to tell her, and find out just what she thinks. Otherwise, you could be missing out on the opportunity of a lifetime. Trust me, you could do worse than be with her, and any man worth anything would cut off their arm to be you. As if they don't have enough reason already."

"Rodney…"

"I mean, look at yourself, John. You're handsome, charming, witty. You're not freakishly smart, or socially awkward, or…" Rodney sighed. "Face it, John. You're every woman's dream."

Sheppard sat there, stunned. What could he say to that? As he thought, a single memory popped into his head, and he took a sip of his beer before he spoke.

"You know, when I was in tenth grade, there was this girl. Name was Heather Swenson. Prettiest girl you ever saw – long auburn hair, sparkling blue eyes, freckles everywhere – all the guys drooled over her. And me, well, I was skinny, kind of awkward and gangly. Girls liked my dimples, but because I was never a really talkative kid, they got bored with me pretty fast."

Rodney found it hard to believe that Sheppard could ever be quiet, especially as a teenager, but from the colonel's sheepish gaze, he supposed it could be true.

"Anyway, there was this party at her friend's house, and me and a couple buddies were invited. We were pumped, of course, 'cuz each of us swore we were gonna ask Heather out that night. Well, we had a great time, swimming and just having fun, you know?"

Rodney nodded silently, wondering where this story was going.

"Okay, so there I was, just sitting on the deck, playing a guitar someone had brought out from the house, when Heather comes right up to me and starts to talk to me. I couldn't believe it. I was so nervous, I could barely answer her. I was also oblivious to the fact that I'd eaten enough food to choke a horse, and something in there wasn't agreeing with me. Just when _she_ asked _me_ out, my stomach decided to try and empty itself right then and there. I had just enough time to lean over to the bushes beside the deck before I puked my guts out. She was obviously grossed out – couldn't get away from me fast enough. After that, she never spoke to me again."

"What happened to her?" Rodney asked, and John shrugged.

"She ended up marrying one of my friends. One of the guys who'd gone to the party with me. She got stomach cancer five or six years later, and died soon after that."

"Wow."

"Yeah." He paused to tip the final contents of the can in his hand into his mouth. "The irony is – and, by the way, I'm not glad it happened to her at _all_ – the cancer probably made her throw up every single day. But, you know what they say about karma, huh?"

"Yeah. One thing I still don't understand, though."

"What's that?"

"If you were so shy and all that, how in the world did you end up with Nancy?"

Sheppard gave him a sardonic grin. "More irony."

"Huh?"

"She was at the party, too. After Heather ran off, Nancy came over to see if I was okay. Of course, we lost touch for a little while after high school, since she went off to college and I went to the Air Force, but…well, you know the rest."

Rodney nodded. John had told him as much as he was comfortable with a few years ago, in this very spot.

"Point is, I've never been as comfortable around women as everyone seems to think. I still don't know what to do with myself when one of them starts crying."

McKay laughed at that. "No one does, my friend." Then, he realized what he'd said, and quickly looked away. After all that had happened, he wasn't sure John would still want to be his friend, much less his _best_ friend. Staring down at the beer he'd picked up again, he asked, "So, are we okay?"

Sheppard's gaze returned to the ocean. After a moment's thought, he nodded. "Yeah. We're okay."

* * *

><p>Carter was just about to leave her office, when Sheppard and McKay walked in. They were talking with each other, McKay smiling at something the colonel had just said.<p>

"Good evening, you two," she said then, and both men came to stand before her desk, Sheppard automatically taking up his military "at rest" stance. Subconsciously, Rodney mimicked him, his hands clasped behind his back and his legs slightly apart. Carter hid a smile at that; she had to at least pretend to be in professional-mode.

"Colonel Carter," Sheppard greeted her with a small grin.

"I take it you both have worked out your differences, then?"

Rodney nodded emphatically. "Yes. Yes, we have."

"Without your fists, I presume?" She asked, looking pointedly at Sheppard, who at least had the grace to duck his head guiltily.

"Yes, ma'am," he replied, casting a sidelong glance at his friend. Rodney glanced back, and lightly shrugged one shoulder.

Carter now allowed herself to smile. "Good. And you're early, too. It's only Twenty-one-hundred. My report will not include your earlier disagreement."

Rodney sighed loudly in relief. "Thank you, Sam."

She nodded, but her smile was replaced with a more serious expression. "Let me warn you, however; if either of you ever pull a stunt like that again, you'll be on the first ship back to Earth before you can even blink. You dodged a bullet today, but you won't be so lucky next time, I promise you." She stared at each of them in turn. "Am I clear?"

"Understood," Sheppard answered immediately.

Rodney was just as fast with his reply. "Yes."

"Okay, then. You may go."

As they left, she called out, "Oh, and Colonel Sheppard?"

He turned back, a curious glance in his eyes. "Yes, Colonel?"

"Try not to use anyone else like a sack of potatoes."

He stood there, unsure of whether she was being completely serious or not. When the corners of her mouth twitched upward, he gave her his most charming smile and replied, "I'll try real hard, ma'am."

* * *

><p><em>TBC...and Gahhh at Sheppard's charming smile!<em>


	3. Chapter 3

_AN: And now comes the Whump. Sorry, but you all know it's inevitable! Don't worry, though, I'm sure he'll get plenty of comfort, later! LOL _

_Oh, yeah...Don't forget to Review!_

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><p>Chapter 3<p>

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><p>Teyla walked into the mess hall, to see the three men of her team sitting at their table, talking quietly as they ate, and her face broke out into a wide grin. Whatever had happened between Sheppard and Rodney, it had been resolved, and things were back to the way they had been. As if to prove this point, Rodney reached over to Sheppard's tray and snagged the jell-o cup from it. Sheppard made a show of trying to get it back, then said something that caused them all to laugh.<p>

They were all still smiling as she reached the table, her tray balanced on one hand. Ronon hooked the chair beside him with his ankle and pulled it out, and she gave him a nod of thanks before she sat down in it.

"How are you all doing this morning?" She asked them.

Rodney stopped shoveling jell-o into his mouth long enough to say, "Good."

Sheppard, who sat directly across from her, shrugged nonchalantly. "Can't complain."

"Me, either," Ronon rumbled, before playfully snatching the roll from Rodney's tray and taking a bite before he could protest.

"How 'bout you?" Sheppard asked her then. "Everything okay with you?"

She nodded serenely. "I am well, thank you."

"Good to hear."

They continued to talk as they finished breakfast, Rodney explaining his next project and how boring it was likely to be and Sheppard wondering aloud when their next mission would be, and where. When those topics became tired, they resorted to simply sitting in companionable silence, each absorbed in their own thoughts.

"Hey, Teyla?" Sheppard asked suddenly, and she looked up at him, her gaze telling him to continue. He opened his mouth to speak, and at first, nothing came out. Then, he said, "I was wondering if I could talk to you later. Alone."

Puzzled, she cocked her head at him. "Is something wrong?"

"No!" He replied quickly. Leaning over the table slightly, he said, "I just…um...I want to talk."

"I would be happy to," she said, before he could turn any redder than he already was.

Though he tried to look relieved, she noticed that his hands were trembling lightly, and the flush did not retreat from his skin as quickly as it should have. There was something wrong with him, but she could not put her finger on what it was.

"Good," he said then, "I'll see you later, then."

Sheppard moved to stand up, and she saw then that he had his arm wrapped around his chest, just under his ribs. Neither of the other two men noticed it, however, as they were too busy bickering over what to play next at their weekly movie night.

"John," she said, rising to stand in front of him, "are you certain you are all right?"

He seemed to have trouble focusing his vision on her for a moment, but he nodded. "I'm sure. Just a little worn out from my last sparring match with Chewy over there."

By now, Ronon and Rodney had become aware of the situation, and now sat there silently, their eyes shifting from a worried glance between each other, to their two friends standing in front of them.

Teyla placed her hand on Sheppard's arm and felt his muscles shaking, as if they were being pushed to their limit. Worry deep in her eyes, she continued to stare at him. "I do not think that is all it is. Perhaps you should go see Doctor Keller."

Sheppard shook off her hand and glared back at her. "I told you, I'm fine, Teyla. I've gotta go."

Though every fiber inside her body told her to protest, she allowed him to pick up his tray and walk away. He hadn't made it three steps, however, before the tray he carried suddenly slipped from his grasp. As it crashed and clattered on the tiles at his feet, he turned back to look at his friends, an embarrassed look on his face.

"Oops," he muttered, right before his eyes rolled up into his head and he crumpled to the floor, unconscious.

* * *

><p>When Sheppard came to a few minutes later, Teyla was leaning over him. Her hair tickled his face and he tried to brush it away, but he couldn't get his arm to move more than an inch off the ground. He was aware of hard floor underneath him, and from the smells that drifted around him, he guessed that he was still in the mess hall.<p>

Teyla had seen his eyelids flutter, and now she gasped in relief. "John? Can you hear me?"

"Yeah," he croaked out, his voice little more than a whisper. "What…happened?"

"You fainted," he heard Rodney reply smugly. He'd been waiting for the perfect time to repay Sheppard for saying the same to him, and his chance had just come.

Sheppard also heard Rodney's pained "Ow!", and figured that Ronon had hit him. He tried to smile, but only the left half of his face would comply, so he stopped trying.

"You fell unconscious," Teyla amended as she gently pulled his head onto her lap. "We have been trying for many minutes to wake you. Doctor Keller is already on her way."

"Crap," he managed, and Teyla smiled ruefully. She knew he hated doctors and infirmaries, but he needed to be looked over. "Can't…move. Why…?"

"I do not know, John. Once you are in the infirmary and have been examined, we will know more." When he tried again to move, she pressed her hands down on his shoulders, and added, "For now, you should lie still and rest."

"Not tired."

Just then, Jennifer Keller rushed into the room, two nurses pushing a gurney right behind her. When Keller reached Sheppard's side, Teyla leaned back so she could give him a quick examination.

"What happened, exactly?" Keller asked as she checked him over.

"We were having breakfast, and at first, everything was fine. Soon, however, I began to notice that he did not look well, and when he got up to leave, he passed out."

"What were his symptoms?"

Teyla took a breath to calm herself as she carefully remembered everything. "He was shaking, and his skin was flushed. He was trying to support his chest, with his arm under his ribs." As Jennifer ordered her team forward, Teyla suddenly added, "Oh, and he also seemed to have trouble with his vision."

"Okay. Thanks, Teyla."

"Since he has regained consciousness, he seems even more weak than before. He has not opened his eyes, his speech is slow and his breathing labored."

Jennifer stopped for a moment to gaze appreciatively at Teyla's thoroughness. "Wow," she said, "you'd make a great nurse. I should call you next time I'm understaffed."

Teyla managed a small smile. "With someone like Colonel Sheppard around, I have found it best to pay attention to any symptoms someone may be experiencing."

"Hey," they heard Sheppard whine then. "Still…here."

Quickly exchanging an amused glance, they both looked down at him.

"Sorry, Colonel," Keller said. "We'll get you off that floor in just a moment." Her eyes found Ronon a second later, and she nodded for him to come forward. To Teyla, she said, "Ronon can take his legs, and we should be able to handle the rest between us."

As Ronon did what was asked, Keller wrapped her arms around Sheppard's torso. Teyla helped her lift his upper half, even as she continued to support his head. Carefully, they placed him on the waiting gurney, and Jennifer led the way out of the mess hall and down to the infirmary. Ronon and Rodney followed at a respectful distance, their presence deterrent enough to anyone who happened to get too curious. Teyla walked alongside the gurney, her hand on Sheppard's the only comfort she could give. Still, it seemed to help, as he lightly squeezed her fingers a few times during the short ride.

When they were safely inside the infirmary's main room, Teyla moved to withdraw her hand from Sheppard's, but he managed to tighten his grip. Surprised, she looked down at him. For just a moment, his hazel eyes opened, and he stared right into her dark brown irises.

"Please…" he begged quietly. Then, even more softly, he added, "Scared."

She nodded at him, the emotions rushing through her refusing to let her speak. After a moment, she was able to reply, "I will stay with you, John."

He seemed to be calmed by that, as his eyes closed and his breathing slowly returned to a more normal rhythm, so she looked up to watch as Keller prepared the necessary instruments. Rodney and Ronon had just arrived, as had Colonel Carter, and now they stood a short distance behind her, worried looks clearly displayed on each of their faces. She knew they were there, but she could not bear to turn and face them now.

It was not right – someone normally so strong, so full of life, suddenly reduced to this – and it frightened her, but even more, it made her angry. Rodney had once told her that "life isn't fair", and she now understood what he had meant, though she did not like it one bit. "Life" took everyone she cared about, had left her alone with no guidance, tore her heart out time and again. No, it was not fair, and now she intended to fight it with all her strength.

Keller stepped over to the gurney then, ready to run more extensive tests on the colonel. Just as she opened her mouth to say as much, Sheppard coughed once and then began to gasp for air. His hands clutched numbly at the sheet underneath him, as if his fingers could draw the breath he desperately needed out of it. A moment later, he stopped fighting altogether; his limbs went slack and his lips began to take on a faint, bluish tint. Teyla heard someone utter a cry of distress, never realizing that it had come from her own mouth.

"Come on, Colonel. Breathe!" Keller cried as she kicked off the gurney's brake and wheeled him further into the room, then called for the rest of her team. Medical staff soon flooded the room, jostling Teyla's shoulders and nearly pulling her hand out of Sheppard's. Wanting to be close to him without getting in the way, she pulled as close as she could to the wall behind her. She could hear her own breathing in her ears, and with every breath, she prayed for Sheppard to move, to breathe, to do anything at all.

Keller bumped into her then, shaking her out of her stupor, and she noticed a very familiar-looking tube in the doctor's hands. As one of the nurses held Sheppard's mouth open, Keller expertly slid the breathing tube down his throat, then connected it to the ventilator, watching to make sure his lungs filled and deflated properly. Satisfied that he was once again stable for the moment, the doctor took a deep breath, then told the rest of her staff, "I want a full panel of tests. I need to know what's happening and why, and I need to know yesterday."

Her staff responded with vigorous nods, then rushed off in different directions to follow her orders. As Keller pulled a blanket over Sheppard's legs, Carter stepped forward, her arms hugging her chest. "What's wrong with him?"

Keller sighed deeply. "I'm not completely sure yet, but we're working on it."

"Best guess?"

"Best guess is, it's viral. But I won't know more until we run some blood work and get him under the scanner." She glanced over at the colonel, her gaze compassionate. "Right now, he's stable. Just pray he stays that way long enough for me to figure out what's going on."

Carter nodded sympathetically, then looked to Teyla and gave her a small, comforting smile, which the Athosian only barely returned. "Okay. Keep me updated," she told Keller. When she turned to see the others anxiously waiting nearby, Carter nearly choked up with tears. They all looked so lost without their leader, so helpless. Her heart begged her to just run over to them, to embrace them in a warm hug and promise them that everything would be all right, that Sheppard was strong and he'd pull through, just like always.

But she couldn't. For once, her hope and faith in Sheppard's will to survive faltered, and for that she felt ashamed. Managing only a faint nod at them, she quickly walked out of the infirmary.

* * *

><p>Teyla sat watching over Sheppard as he slept in the infirmary, her eyes trained on his face for any sign of movement. Her hand loosely covered his, her fingers warm on his cold ones, but no matter how many times she squeezed it, he never squeezed back. The pain he'd tried to hide from her earlier now etched lines into his forehead, made the corners of his mouth twitch downward, and she cursed his stubbornness. If only he'd gone to see Keller earlier, they might have been able to catch this – whatever "this" was – before it had become too bad.<p>

She sighed inwardly at herself. It would do no good to lay blame now. All that was important was that he got well again. She hated seeing him here, hooked up to nearly every machine in the infirmary, his skin pale and cold. He still needed the ventilator to breathe, and now it whooshed rhythmically in and out, reminding her a little of the ocean where she'd grown up, playing and fishing in its powerful surf.

Teyla had not noticed Keller come in until she quietly said, "I was wrong. It's not a virus. Sheppard's blood tests came back, and it's positive for a bacterial infection."

Teyla looked up at her. "That is not good news."

"Well, no," Keller replied. "Whatever's in him has been growing for a while now, to the point that it's almost completely overrun his system. And to make matters worse, it's unlike any bacteria I've ever seen, even here in the Pegasus."

"Is there any way of curing him?"

"Maybe. I've got him on some strong – but generic – antibiotics in the hope that it'll wear the bacteria down enough to buy us some time. But to successfully 'cure' him, I'd have to isolate exactly where and when he came in contact with the bacteria, get a sample, and run some tests on it to find a suitable treatment. The only problem with that is, from the way this infection so suddenly escalated, we might run out of time before we find the correct therapy. "

Teyla took in the news, forcing herself to stay calm. Though she was fairly sure she understood what Keller was saying, she wanted to be positive. "What you are saying then, is that if we do not find the cure soon, this illness will kill him."

Keller nodded, suddenly at a loss for words. She usually had a good bedside manner, but the rapid onset of Sheppard's illness confused and scared her. When she heard Teyla call her name, she looked and saw that same fear reflected in the Athosian's eyes.

"Is it contagious?"

"I don't think so," Keller replied, "not through the air, anyway. But just to be safe, I would like everyone in the team in here to run some tests."

"I will tell the others," Teyla said with a nod. She looked down at Sheppard, at her fingers twined in his, and then back up at Keller. It was obvious to the doctor that she didn't want to leave him, and Keller sighed inwardly. Sheppard was lucky to have someone who cared so much about him; who was she to take that away from him, especially now, when he needed it the most?

Before Teyla could stand up, Keller set her hand on the other woman's shoulder, a small grin lighting her face. "It's okay," she told Teyla, "I'll call them myself. You keep watch over him, make sure nothing else happens."

Grateful, Teyla nodded again and returned the smile, though tears pricked at her eyes. "Thank you, Jennifer. For everything."

"Hey, thank me when he's better," Keller responded. Then, her grin widened, and she added, "Though, you might think twice about that when he starts whining to get out of here."

Teyla allowed herself to chuckle at that. It was true that Sheppard was a most unwilling and uncooperative patient, and took every chance he got to escape the infirmary, often resorting to his equivalent of begging.

Now, though, as she looked at him lying there, the idea of him even speaking again seemed years away. While Keller quietly made her exit, Teyla heaved in a sigh and resumed her vigil. She had been here for hours, her mind constantly running over the events in the mess hall, replaying the moment he had slid down to the floor, then rewinding back to his request to meet her later.

"_I want to talk,"_ he had said. At the time, it had not fazed her; they had had many private conversations over the years, many of them nothing more than simple, friendly talks about their various "lives" outside of their work. But she had seen the look in his eyes, the way he refused to completely meet her gaze, how he had suddenly become almost shy, and now she pondered what, exactly, he had wanted to talk to her about.

Teyla's eyes drifted up to his face, watching his eyes move under their lids, and wondered if she would ever learn the answer.

* * *

><p>"Are we finished yet?"<p>

Keller handed the last vial of blood to her nurse, then scowled at the man sitting before her. "Yes, Rodney," she replied, but held up her hand before he could slip down off the bed. "But you can't leave the infirmary until your tests come back."

Rodney rolled his eyes heavenward and uttered an exaggerated sigh. "Jennifer, I shouldn't have to tell you that I left a very important project in my lab…"

She lowered herself until her gaze was level with his, her scowl even darker now. "I don't want to risk spreading the infection to anyone else."

He sighed again, his hand making what looked like a yapping mouth. "Yes, yes. But you forget, I've been running around Atlantis, coming into contact with tons of people, for a while now. If I was infected, chances are good that a lot of those people already are, too."

"True," she muttered, "but until I'm sure whether you're infected or not, I have the authority to keep you here. So, stay." She pointed at him to emphasize, and he scoffed.

"Oh, so, what? I'm a dog now?"

"Stubborn as a pit-bull," she called over her shoulder as she walked away.

"Nice," he grumbled to Ronon, who stood on the other side of the bed. The Satedan had willingly submitted to having his blood drawn not ten minutes ago, and now he clapped Rodney good-naturedly on the shoulder.

"She only does it 'cuz she loves you, you know."

"She does it because she's the Chief Voodoo Princess around here." Ronon shook his head, but made no comment; everyone was well aware of McKay's misplaced hatred of the medical field. "I just wish she'd hurry up and let me go before the science club rejects break something in my lab."

"She say how Sheppard is doing?" Ronon asked him. McKay's shoulders slumped instantly at the mention of his friend.

"No. Teyla's still in the other room with him."

The Satedan growled under his breath. It wasn't right, he mused; he wasn't used to the idea of a kindred warrior to be unconscious, fighting for his life.

Rodney had heard his frustrated rumble, and now bobbed his head in agreement. "I know," he said quietly. "But Keller's working on it. She'll figure it out soon."

"Hope so."

Carter walked into the infirmary then, her heart dropping at the glum looks she received from the two men. Forcing her expression to remain neutral, she sidled up to the bed Rodney sat upon, careful to keep a safe distance in case they were infected.

"How's it going?" She asked.

"Slowly, as usual," Rodney huffed.

Ignoring his tone, she nodded solemnly. "It's to be expected. Jennifer's got her hands full as it is, and with the colonel's state, well, it can't be easy on her."

Just then, the subject of their conversation reappeared in the main room. When she saw Carter there, she gave her a quick smile, then turned to the waiting men.

"Good news, gentlemen," she said, a little too brightly for Rodney's taste, "you're all clear. Seems whatever Sheppard caught, it hasn't spread to anyone else."

"Great!" McKay exclaimed, but quickly remembered his best friend in the other room, and added, "I mean, not great for Sheppard, but…I mean…that's…"

"We know what you meant, Rodney," Carter assured him, and he let his animated hands fall into his lap, opting to simply nod instead.

"So we can leave, then?" Ronon asked then.

Keller nodded, and after he respectfully nodded to the others, he left the infirmary, intending to head to the gym to work out his frustration on the unfortunate Marines waiting for him.

When Ronon was gone, Rodney slipped off the bed, pulling on the hem of his wrinkled shirt and rolling his upturned sleeve back down over his arm. Quietly, he stammered, "Um, I wondering, if it's not too much…could I see him? Sheppard, I mean."

Keller and Carter exchanged a small smile, and then the doctor said, "Of course. He's not awake, but it won't do any harm to have you visit."

Without another word, he stepped into the private room Sheppard had been moved to, and stopped at the end of the bed. He looked around at the various equipment hooked up to the colonel, then caught sight of Teyla's golden hair resting atop Sheppard's right arm. Both of her hands were twined with the fingers of his right hand, and though he couldn't see her eyes, he knew she was asleep. She'd exhausted herself, watching over Sheppard for so long, and Rodney felt a twinge of guilt. He was one of Sheppard's best friends; he should have offered to take a turn sitting with him, rather than leave it to her alone. Of course, knowing Teyla, she would have refused, saying that she preferred to stay there until he was awake.

Trying not to disturb her, Rodney slipped over to the other side of the bed and gazed down at his friend. Except for the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest, which Rodney knew was due to the ventilator, Sheppard's entire body was completely still, the beeping of the heart monitor beside Rodney the only real evidence he was actually alive.

Unsure of just what to do, Rodney sighed quietly, then tentatively reached out and placed his hand on the colonel's shoulder.

"Hang in there, John," he whispered. "We're gonna get you back, I promise."

"Rodney?" Teyla's voice reached his ears, and he looked up. She had just begun to sit up, wiping the sleep from her dark brown eyes. "I did not realize I had fallen asleep."

"It's okay," Rodney replied, his voice losing its normal hard edge. In fact, if she had to describe it, she would have called it gentle. "I just came to see him for a minute. I didn't mean to wake you."

"That is all right. I only meant to rest my eyes for a moment."

Seeing how fatigued she was, how her normally-straight shoulders drooped, Rodney felt the guilty pang return, and he came to stand beside her. "Why don't you let me take a turn with him? You can go and get some rest, something to eat…"

She started to shake her head, but a wide yawn overtook her, and she ended up nodding at him instead. "Perhaps I will go and rest for a little while." She stood, but then turned back to him, her eyes pleading, as she asked, "But you will let me know if he awakens?"

"Of course," he soothed. "Just let Jennifer know that I'm taking over, okay?"

Teyla managed a small smile. "Yes. And thank you, Rodney."

"You're welcome." As she left, he sat down in her chair, that awkward feeling of uncertainty and helplessness again rising in his chest. At first, he thought about contacting Zelenka and telling him to keep an eye on the goings-on in the lab, but then decided against it. He would deal with any mishaps later, by himself.

Shifting to a more comfortable position, Rodney stretched his legs out in front of him, crossed his arms over his chest, and simply watched over his friend.

* * *

><p><em>TBC...<em>


	4. Chapter 4

_AN: YAY Next chapter is here! Have fun with Sheppy - I know I did! LOL_

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><p><span>Chapter 4<span>

Teyla was back beside Sheppard again, this time reading a book she had snagged from the city's library. A cup of tea sat nearby, slowly cooling until she could drink it without burning her mouth. Jennifer had been in and out a few times already this morning, drawing blood from Sheppard and checking his vitals, and Ronon and Rodney had each stopped in to check on him before going to perform their necessary duties.

She had just turned to page 50, when she heard a strange noise somewhere in front of her. Peering over the top of the book, she saw Sheppard's eyelids flutter, and she instantly tossed the novel aside. The strange noise she had heard was Sheppard gagging on the tracheal tube as he struggled to breathe around it.

"Jennifer!" Teyla called through the open doorway, then grabbed Sheppard's hands before he could attempt to remove the tube himself. Leaning over him, she stared down into his green eyes and smiled broadly. "Hello, John. It is alright. You are in the infirmary. Just relax, and Doctor Keller will help you."

Keller rushed into the room then, and gestured for Teyla to make room for her. She glanced over at the heart monitor, which had just begun to slow its wild beeping, then down at Sheppard's face.

"Glad to have you awake, Colonel," she said. "Just hang on, and we'll get this tube out for you, okay?"

Sheppard nodded his understanding. Teyla stepped out into the main room and tapped at the radio in her ear. "Rodney?"

"Yeah," McKay's voice replied.

"Is Ronon with you?"

"No, but I know where he is. Why?"

Teyla's lips curved into another smile as she said, "Colonel Sheppard is awake."

She just caught McKay's quick reply before he cut off the communication. "Be right there."

When she walked back into Sheppard's room, Keller had just finishing the extubation, and was allowing the colonel a few sips of water from the cup in her hand.

When he saw Teyla, Sheppard grinned like a schoolboy. "Hey," he croaked.

"It is good to see you awake, John. We were all very worried about you."

"Still shaky," he complained quietly, and Keller responded by laying another blanket over him, for which he graciously thanked her with a nod. With a warning about talking too much, she left to dispose of the tube she'd removed from his throat.

Teyla sat back down beside his bed, her eyes bright with unshed tears. Sheppard noticed them, and said, "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," she said, giving him a grin. "I am just very glad to see you better, that is all."

He was about to reply when Ronon and Rodney rushed in, nearly knocking each other over in their desire to see their friend. When they saw him sitting up, with the breathing tube removed, Rodney's eyes widened. "Oh, thank God!" He gasped in relief.

"Good to see you, too, McKay," Sheppard said, though the "McKay" was little more than a squeak. He cleared his throat, grimacing at the soreness there, and accepted more water from Teyla. Then, he added, "Hey, Ronon."

"How're you doing, Sheppard?" The Satedan asked.

He shrugged and opened his mouth to speak, but Teyla leaned forward and interjected, "Dr. Keller has instructed him to save his voice as much as possible." When he turned his puppy-dog eyes on her, she frowned. "You need to take your time healing, John."

"She's right," Ronon agreed, his gaze stern. "I'm going to breakfast. Glad you're better."

"Hold on a minute," Keller suddenly said then, appearing from behind Ronon's broad shoulders. "I have some questions for all of you, first."

Rodney sighed impatiently, but took up a comfortable position against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest. "Go ahead."

After gaining everyone else's assent, she pulled out a tablet and began. "Okay. First, I need to know what the conditions were inside the cell you were held in. The one on the planet with the Vanir device."

"Dirty," Sheppard replied simply, gesturing for another sip of water.

Teyla complied as she gave her own assessment. "It was very cold, and damp."

Keller looked to Ronon, but he merely shrugged, silently agreeing with Teyla's description, so she went ahead with her next question.

"And what about the forest you escaped into? Any strange plants or mosses that the colonel may have come into contact with?"

Now, Ronon did speak. "Tons of 'em. I've never seen half of the plants on that planet."

As he spoke, Teyla recalled something, and she lifted her eyes to Jennifer's. "There was moss on the fallen tree we rested on. It was an odd shade of green, almost black. I thought nothing of it at first, as our focus was on escape. But now that I think of it, it was rather slimy, and after I wiped it off, I felt a strange itching sensation on my hands." She glanced at Sheppard, who was staring down at his blanket-clad legs, deep in thought. "Perhaps it is there we should look first."

Sheppard's head snapped up. "No!" He shouted, instantly regretting the strain on his voice. In a lower tone, he said, "No one is going back to that planet ever again."

"But, John," Teyla began, before he held up his hand to stop her.

"I said no. That planet…" he stopped abruptly as a cough racked his chest. When it was over, he leaned back against the pillows, suddenly seeming worn out. With his eyes closed, he continued, "is more trouble than it's worth."

"I understand your reluctance," Teyla acknowledged, "but it may be the only chance we have of fully curing you of this illness."

"Are we sure of that?" Rodney piped up then. At Teyla's confused glance, he explained, "I mean, look, he seems to be getting better. He's off the ventilator, awake and talking…Maybe the bacteria or whatever is clearing out of his system."

"No, Rodney," Keller interjected. "I just got his blood work back. His immune system has managed to kill off a good portion of the bacteria, but there's still a lot left. If we don't find an effective antibiotic, there's a good chance that the remaining bugs will have enough time to grow stronger, more resistant to his system."

Before he could dispute her, she added, "If it does, he will go back downhill again, and fast. His lungs would quit working again, with no guarantee that putting him back on the ventilator would do any good. Colonel Sheppard could very well die if we don't try to find the cure."

"I will go and speak to Colonel Carter," Teyla said, narrowing her eyes at Sheppard, who had once more opened his mouth to argue, "and ask her permission to get samples of the plants we cannot identify."

Surprisingly, Rodney moved to stand beside her. "I'll go with you," he told Teyla. "The Wraith have probably cleared out by now, so it should be relatively safe."

As they moved to leave, Sheppard cleared his throat and called, "Guys?"

"Yes, John?" Teyla asked, turning back to him.

"Please…" he shook his head once, then continued with, "be careful."

Rodney nodded at him, understanding what he'd been about to say. "We will. Get some rest."

* * *

><p>"I thought we were done with this place for good."<p>

Teyla smiled sympathetically at Lieutenant Matt Cornell. He and Major Lorne had decided to accompany her and Rodney to the planet, assuring Carter that if anything went wrong, at least there would be some military presence.

"Trust me," Rodney piped up from behind him, "you're not the only one."

Major Lorne grinned widely and said, "Don't worry, Doctor McKay. If all goes well, we'll be in and out within an hour."

Rodney glared at Teyla. "Did you hear that? 'If" all goes well? Really?"

"Relax, Rodney," she soothed as she swerved around a rather large tree trunk. "We have already collected quite a few samples, and the only ones left are near the fallen tree, about a mile from here."

Grumbling to himself, Rodney kept his pace beside her, stopping every now and then as she stooped to inspect a flower or a root.

"Is the Colonel going to make it?" Cornell asked her a while later, as they paused to take a drink from their canteens.

"I hope so. Just before we left, Jennifer said that he was beginning to turn pale again, and his fever had returned. I fear that if we do not hurry…"

"We'll make it, Teyla," Lorne interjected then, shooting his lieutenant a look. "Besides," he added with a grin, "Sheppard's a stubborn man. He won't give up that easy."

His observation drew a smile from her. "That is very true, Major. Thank you."

"I'm sorry," Cornell said then. "I didn't mean to bring up any bad…"

Teyla held up a hand and replied, "It is all right, Lieutenant. We are all worried about him, I am sure."

"Well, kids," Lorne said, unaware that he had used one of Sheppard's pet-names for his team, "we should keep moving."

Cornell and Rodney went first, resuming their trek through the underbrush. Teyla moved to overtake them, but Lorne gently tugged on the sleeve of her jacket, silently asking to talk with her. Nodding in return, she pulled back and walked beside the major.

"Are you okay?" he asked her quietly. "You seem pretty worried."

Teyla grinned, but the smile did not reach her eyes. "I am fine. It is just…" she sighed. "I can almost feel his fear, even here, now. He is not alone in the infirmary, but he feels as if he is. I do not want to be away from him, but I am the only one who can identify the moss we came into contact with."

Lorne was silent as they walked, his mind turning over what she had said. Then, he stuck out his bottom lip and replied, "So, what you're saying is, you're torn between your friendship and your duty."

She nodded.

"You do realize that we all struggle with that same feeling, every day, right?"

"Yes, and that thought makes me feel even worse. I know that I should be focused on retrieving the plant we suspect is behind his illness, but I…" she shook her head, then squared her shoulders. "I will be fine. Thank you, Major."

Lorne grinned. "Hey, no problem. I'm just as worried about him as you are. We all are." Up ahead, Cornell and Rodney had stopped walking. "Looks like we've found the spot."

Teyla caught up with them, and nodded at the familiar scenery around her. "Yes, this is the tree." As Lorne came to stand beside her, she added, "Colonel Sheppard sat here, in front of this knot, and I sat there, behind him, in case he started to fall."

Lorne surveyed the fallen log, noting the green-and-black mossy plant that circled the entire trunk, as well as the way the ant-like creatures that swarmed over the rest of the bark avoided it.

Making sure his finger likewise avoided contact, he pointed at it and asked, "Is this the stuff that made him sick?"

"It is a good possibility, though we will not know for sure until Jennifer tests it."

"It's nasty-looking, that's for sure," Cornell commented from the opposite side of the tree. "Looks like someone mixed motor oil with lawn clippings, then dumped it all over the place."

Rodney examined it as close as was safe, grimacing at the slimy root-like tendrils that stretched out from the central mass of the plant. "It reminds me a lot of Chinese black moss, or fat choy, as they call it. Of course, the two are very different, as fat choy grows in the Gobi desert, not on trees like this does. Also…"

"Rodney?"

McKay stopped talking and looked up. Teyla was looking back at him, with an exasperated stare.

"This is all very fascinating, but perhaps you could explain it on the Jumper? Colonel Sheppard is running out of time."

At first, he seemed as if he wanted to protest, but as he recalled that he'd been rambling again, he nodded quickly. "Yes, of course. Sorry."

"It is all right. Thank you."

Cornell handed the bag containing the samples, as well as a few empty containers, to Evan, who pulled out one of the plastic cups and unscrewed the lid. Using a pair of long-handled tweezers, he carefully removed a fair amount of moss from the tree and dropped it in the cup, then quickly capped it and stowed it with the rest of the samples they'd taken.

"Let's hope this is what we're looking for," he sighed as they started back toward the Jumper.

* * *

><p>Jennifer peered down into the eyepiece of a microscope, her shoulders drooping as she saw that the bacteria on the slide did not match the sample from Colonel Sheppard's blood. As she had been at it for hours, she decided she was due for a break, and pushed her wheeled chair away from the counter.<p>

"Bad news, Doc?" Sheppard asked from his corner in the infirmary's main room. He had insisted on being moved back out of the private room, telling her that he wanted to be sure she saw him, so that she would not forget to find him a cure, but she knew there was more to his request. Whether it was due to his various captures and torture, or whether it was being alone with his own mind that bothered him, the simple fact was that he did not want to be left by himself. After having been the one to patch him up so many times after he'd either escaped or been rescued, Jennifer couldn't say she blamed him.

Managing a smile, she shook her head. "Just need a break." She glanced at the clock, then back at him, her smile fading to a concerned frown. "What are you still doing up, anyway?"

He shrugged. "Can't sleep. It's too quiet in here."

"I could always call Rodney down here. I'm sure he'd be glad to keep you company…"

"No!" He said quickly. "I'll be fine with the quiet. Just wish I had something to read."

At that, Jennifer reached down and picked up a familiar-looking olive-green tote bag. She walked over to his bed and set it on his lap. "Ronon went and grabbed some things he thought you might want."

Curious, Sheppard peered inside it, then grinned and said, "I have the best friends ever." He reached into the bag and pulled out his red remote-controlled car, as well as the remote. With a silent question in his eyes, he held the car out to her.

She took it and set it on the floor as he quietly promised, "I won't run you over."

As soon as the wheels touched the marble tiles, Sheppard pushed a lever on the remote, sending the car across the infirmary as fast as it could go. The motor revved as he maneuvered it around the rows of beds and equipment, weaving in and out through the legs of the chairs in the waiting area. Jennifer gasped when he almost crashed the car against a wall, then giggled in relief as he turned just in time, shot it back toward himself, and then stopped it right at her feet.

"I take it you've had a lot of practice with that thing, huh?" She asked him with a grin.

He nodded. "Rodney and I race at least once a week." Then, he held out the remote. "You wanna take a spin?"

She held up her hands in front of her. "Oh, no. I really…"

He gave her his signature puppy-dog look. "It's a lot of fun. Come on."

"Oh, okay," she relented, taking the remote from him. She pushed the right lever, and the car rammed into her feet, making her squeal, then immediately blush self-consciously. "I guess I should turn it around first."

"That might work better," he agreed.

As she turned the car around, he wriggled further upright on the bed, so he could watch. After another few moments, where she got used to which lever controlled which wheels, she actually drove it very well. She crashed only once, jamming it pretty hard under a piece of equipment, but as the car remained undamaged, she simply pulled it out and kept going. Sheppard watched her as she allowed herself to have a little fun, smiling when she just managed to rescue the car from sailing into the hallway, then narrowly avoided colliding with Teyla as she entered the room.

"Oh, gosh! I'm so sorry, Teyla!" Jennifer exclaimed, immediately grabbing the car off the floor.

Teyla, however, smiled brightly at the doctor. "That is quite alright, Jennifer. I was just coming to see if you had made any progress, yet."

Jennifer walked over to Sheppard and handed him the car and remote, then went and sat down at the counter where her microscope stood. "Well, yes and no," she replied. "I managed to figure out that ten of the samples you brought back were just simple algae, or harmless fungi. There are still three left that I have yet to look at."

Giving an understanding nod, Teyla pulled a chair up next to Keller's, and sat down in it. "I know I am not a doctor, but perhaps I could help?"

"Sure," Jennifer beamed, sliding the rack of test tubes over so that it sat between them. "You could do the easy part, and do a visual check for me. If it looks like the sample from the colonel, you hand it to me, and I'll do chemical tests on it."

"Very well," Teyla agreed, carefully pulling the microscope closer to herself.

"Hey!" Sheppard called then. "What about me?"

Teyla looked over and grinned at him. "Do not worry, John. I have not forgotten you."

"Sure seemed like it," he grumbled.

She shared a knowing look with Keller, then, uttering a quiet sigh, she stood up and walked over to him. Laying a cool hand on his forehead, she asked, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay, thanks."

"Can I get you anything?"

He shook his head. "No. I'm good."

"Very well. May I go and help Doctor Keller find you a cure, now?" She asked, flicking her gaze over at the red-haired woman, whose expression reminded Teyla of someone who had just learned a secret.

Sheppard nodded. "Of course. Help away."

As she turned away, Teyla heard him mutter, "As if I could be cured."

She spun back around, her mouth pulled down in a frown. "What did you say?"

Challenging her with his eyes, he replied, "You heard me."

Suddenly, Jennifer jumped up from her seat. "You know what? I think I'm gonna grab some coffee from the cafeteria. I'll be right back."

Before Teyla could speak, the doctor had gone. She turned stormy eyes on the colonel. "Why would you say something like that, John?"

"Because it's true," he snapped. "This…whatever this thing is…is gonna kill me."

"It will not. Jennifer has been working very hard…"

"And I'm grateful! Really, I am. But it's not gonna be enough!" He interrupted.

Trying to control her raging emotions, Teyla sank onto the edge of his bed, her dark eyes penetrating his own green ones. "I do not understand why you are acting this way. There is a very good chance that we will find a cure. It will just take a little more time."

He glared back into her eyes at first, seeming as if he were about to shout at her. But then, his gaze softened, and he began to look fearful, almost terrified.

"I'm pretty sure I'm out of time, Teyla," he muttered.

"I –" she said, but he grabbed her arm, pulling her closer.

When she was close enough to see the golden flecks in his irises, he whispered, "I can't feel my legs."

* * *

><p><em>TBC...Gasp! What's happening to our Sheppard? You'll have to wait 'til next chapter to find out!<em>


	5. Chapter 5

_AN: Sorry it took so long, again! This story is making itself difficult! LOL Actually my computer needs to either get fixed, or replaced. Viruses, slow internet connections, the whole nine. I'll try and keep updated now that things are on the mend with the PC; the only problem is, my hubby Matt keeps giving me plot bunnies, and if I don't get them out, they rattle around and make it hard to concentrate! LOL _

_Anywho...here's the next chapter. Enjoy, as usual, and of course, R&R._

* * *

><p>Chapter 5<p>

Teyla's eyes widened as Sheppard pulled away and lay back against his pillows, and her gaze traveled to his legs, which were covered by a blanket.

"Why did you not inform Doctor Keller of this?" She asked him, her heart rate ratcheting up a few notches.

"Because," he hissed back, "I knew she'd freak out, and I didn't want that to happen."

"But…"

He squeezed her arms again, stopping her. "Listen, she said herself that until the right sample of bacteria is found, there's no way to cure me. So, assuming that one of the remaining three is the right one, all we can do is wait until she makes an antidote."

Teyla shook her head, wishing that she were dreaming. "There may be something she can do for you."

"There's not," he told her. Then, leaning forward to again stare into her eyes, he said, "You've gotta promise me you won't say anything."

_This cannot be happening,_ her mind cried silently.

"Please, John," she finally replied. "Do not make me promise that."

He smiled humorlessly at her, his light eyes full of turmoil. "Teyla, how long've you known me?"

"Over five years."

"And how many times have I asked you to do something like this?"

"Once, when the Iratus bug was attached to your neck."

"Right," he agreed. "When it was pretty clear that I wasn't going to survive."

Her eyes brimming with tears, Teyla cried out, "But it is not clear now, John!"

He opened his mouth to reply, but wisely thought better of it.

"I was taught that a person should fight until there is nothing left, and when I met you, I thought you believed that as well. But now, there you sit, already giving up on yourself even before you have begun to fight. And why? Because it seems hopeless?"

She threw her head back and laughed, the sound flat and lifeless. "How many other times have we come out of a seemingly hopeless situation, only to triumph in the end? I can barely count them; I do not have enough fingers. Well, no matter what, I will _not_ give up, John! Not until the very last moment, when you take your last breath."

He sat silent during her speech, unsure of what to say. They were both right, in their own way – there really _was_ no point in telling Keller about his loss of feeling, but he should not assume that he was too far gone to heal, either.

Finally, he sighed, his hand dropping away from her arm. "I _do_ believe in fighting, Teyla. And you're right; I shouldn't give up so easily. But I still don't want you to say anything to Keller."

After a moment, she nodded. "Very well. I will not tell her. I will go back to helping her find a cure, instead."

"Thank you."

Jennifer returned then, and Teyla left Sheppard to sit beside her again.

"All set?" Keller asked, and the Athosian nodded calmly.

"Yes, thank you."

Though Jennifer's eyes begged to know what they had discussed, everyone in the room remained silent. Sheppard attempted to read more of "War and Peace", but only got another page further before he lost interest again. With a sigh, he tossed the book aside, reaching inside his bag of "goodies" for a car magazine. He finished that and similarly tossed it off the bed, just then noticing a strange tingling feeling in his arms. He decided to ignore it and looked up to count the ceiling tiles, but then realized he had already counted them so many times, that he'd memorized the exact amount.

Sheppard shifted in his bed, giving them a theatric sigh. Though she knew what he was doing, Keller turned to gaze at him and asked, "Something wrong, Colonel?"

"Not really," he replied with a frown. "Just bored."

"Well, if it was fun in here, it wouldn't be an infirmary. It'd be an arcade."

Teyla tapped the doctor's shoulder then, and pointed to her microscope. "This may be it."

As Jennifer confirmed Teyla's assessment with a nod, Sheppard's eyes widened. "Could we do that? Put a few games in here, maybe Pac Man…?"

Jennifer rolled her eyes. "Definitely not."

After another dramatic sigh, during which he tossed his head back against the pillows, he grouched, "Fine. Ruin my fun."

"Besides," she continued, "you're supposed to be resting. Any sudden rise in activity could make the bacteria speed up its growth."

"I think it already has," he muttered then, and both women's eyes grew wide.

Jennifer leapt off her chair and rushed over to him.

"What do you mean?" she asked. She checked his vitals, but they were all fine.

Rather than explain, Sheppard simply made an attempt to reach for his magazine, but his arm would not move more than a few inches. He then tried with the other arm, but though he could reach the magazine, his fingers would not close around its pages.

"Oh, my God," Jennifer breathed, as he collapsed back against the bed, sweat beading his forehead. "It's growing faster than I thought it would."

She disappeared from his bedside for a moment, returning with a tray of supplies in her hands. She set the tray on a nearby table, then picked up a needle to draw some blood from him.

Teyla watched for a while, her chest tight with concern. Then, she said, "He has also lost all feeling in his legs."

"What?" Jennifer cried, though her hands remained steady as she worked. Glaring down at the colonel, she asked, "For how long?"

Ignoring the death-glare he was giving her, Teyla replied, "Quite a while. He made me promise not to mention it to you, but I felt that you must know."

"You should have told me sooner," Jennifer moaned. Then, shooting them both a disapproving glance, she added, "Both of you."

"I know. I am sorry, Jennifer."

Keller sighed as she withdrew the needle from Sheppard's arm. "Well, it's too late to worry about that, now. What we _do_ need to worry about is finding that cure." Her features softening somewhat, she peered down at Sheppard and asked, "Any problems breathing?"

He shook his head. "Not yet. Chest feels a little tight, but it's manageable."

Casting a look of disbelief at him, she said, "If that changes at all – and I mean even the tiniest bit – you let me know. Right away."

"Yes, ma'am," he replied with a nod.

"Good." She looked to Teyla. "Let's get that sample ready."

Teyla carefully lifted the sample container from the counter and handed it to Keller, who moved over to a wall full of equipment and started working on the antibiotic Sheppard needed.

* * *

><p>Hours ticked by. As the doctor worked on the cure, Teyla alternated between standing beside her and watching, and sitting down in the chair beside Sheppard's bed. This last time, as she parked herself next to the colonel, she gave him an encouraging smile, then let her eyes wander around the room.<p>

"Hey," he called softly to her, and she turned to look at him. "If this doesn't work…"

"John," she began, warningly, but he shook his head slightly.

"Just…don't. It's getting harder to breathe, which means it's spreading. If Keller runs out of time...there's something I need to say."

"Okay," she prodded. She was far from prepared for what he would say, but she knew that he needed to say it, anyway.

He was just about to speak, when Jennifer suddenly made an excited noise from where she stood. Curious, Teyla stood up, and Sheppard craned his neck as far as he could to see her. She turned around, a vial full of some reddish substance in her hand and a huge smile on her face.

"It works! I finally found the cure."

"Just in time," Sheppard said, as beads of sweat began to stand out on his forehead. "Lungs feel crushed."

"Will you have enough to fully fight off the infection?" Teyla asked, the concern in her eyes very clear, and Keller nodded emphatically.

"Definitely. I'm gonna give him a massive dose of generic antibiotic, and then follow that up with the one from the sample." As she spoke, she was already injecting the contents of a syringe into his IV line. Sheppard could feel the cool liquid seeping into his veins, but it did nothing to ease the vise-like squeezing in his chest. He fought to slow his breathing, but it only made him feel like he was suffocating. Keller noticed this, and rested her hand lightly on his shoulder.

"Don't fight it; it makes it worse. Just...um...what's the term you guys use?...Roll with it."

"Hurts," he gasped, and she nodded.

"I know. I'm sorry."

"Just close your eyes, John," Teyla soothed then, her warm fingertips lightly massaging his arm. He followed her advice, relaxing as he concentrated on her touch rather than on his breathing. The tightness in his chest eased slightly as well, and he mentally celebrated at least that much.

"Okay, well, all the generic antibiotic is in," Keller said. "Unfortunately, you'll have to wait an hour before I can give the first dose of the good stuff."

Though he did not speak or open his eyes, Sheppard managed to curl his lip in a sneer, and Keller chuckled. "Sorry, Colonel." To Teyla, she said, "I'll be back in a bit. I'm so hungry I'm nauseous!"

Teyla grinned in return. "I will remain here with Colonel Sheppard. Please, go and eat something, Jennifer."

After a few last words on Sheppard's care, Keller left the infirmary, and Teyla sat back down beside him. She looked down as she felt something brush her hand, and saw that it was his own hand, seeking contact with her. She turned her hand over, her palm facing upward, and slowly his fingers found the spaces between hers, carefully twined with them until their hands were clasped together.

"Talk...to me," he said to her. "Please."

"All right," she replied, finding a more comfortable position. "Is there any subject in particular you would like me to speak of?" He shook his head. "Very well, then."

She tried again to get comfortable, but it was impossible to do in the infirmary's thinly-padded chair. Her hand still in his, Teyla stood up and moved the chair aside, then sank down onto the lower half of his bed, her legs folded underneath her.

"When I was a little girl, there was a large pond by our home, where I would go to skip stones. It was surrounded on one side by tall trees, and each morning I would stand at the bank and stare into them, my heart glad as I caught the sun peeking through their thick, black branches, as if I had ever been afraid that it would fail to rise. To the left of the pond, a family of geese nested in the same place every year, and I could hear their raspy honking at the beginning of each day. The noise annoyed my mother to no end; she often complained to my father, who would silence her by saying that if she was so bothered, he would go out and kill them for supper."

Sheppard, listening even with his eyes closed, smiled at that.

"The pond itself," Teyla continued, "held creatures of every size and shape, from fish and frogs, to turtles and a mammal that somewhat resembles your Earth-beaver. Often, I would stare down into the water and wish that I could swim along with them, to be able to breathe in the water as a fish, to discover all the hidden wonders they knew about. Underwater seemed like an alien planet to me, and though our people did travel through the Stargate, we never ventured too far from our own planet, from people who looked and sounded like us. We were afraid – a much-needed protection back then, but one that became a crutch that prevented us from fully trusting anyone."

She looked down at their hands, joined together so naturally, and smiled. "I told you once that I never thought I would meet someone like you, that I would become such close friends with you and your people. Sometimes, I remember when we met, and it startles me how easily I trusted you, how quickly I came to see you, John, as a friend."

He squeezed her hand, and in that small gesture, she felt all that he wanted to say. She squeezed back, hoping that he understood her as well.

* * *

><p><em>TBC...!<em>


	6. Chapter 6

Update Note!

First of all, thank you all for the lovely (and one not-so-lovely) reviews! I love that you all refuse to give up and abandon this story, and the feedback - positive and negative - helps me incredibly!

Secondly, I do *indeed* plan on continuing this story, hopefully very soon, but as I and my husband work opposite hours it makes it hard to find the time I need to work on my fics. I haven't forgotten any of the fics I've put on hiatus, I promise!

For those who asked, yes, this is a bit AU. I didn't like Kanaan's intro into the series and I felt it was very rushed. Obviously it was because of Rachel's pregnancy in real life, but even the producers and writers admit that they'd very much been pushing John and Teyla in the direction of a romance. Anyway, one side of my brain likes to pretend Kanaan does not exist at all, while another likes to find ways to kill him off. Call it creative license, call it whatever you want, but that's the way I roll. LOL

Once again, please stay tuned and be a little patient, and I guarantee it will pay off!


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